Cable holder



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CABLE HOLDER Filed Feb. 10, 1947 Fig.5.

Iuuwtar Thomas A. Croffy Patented Dec. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,532,893 CABLE HOLDER Thomas A. Crotty, Erie, Pa.

Application February 10, 1947, Serial No. 727,577

' Claims. (o1. 25449 2;

This invention relates generally to clamping devices, and more particularly to a cable clamp comprising a body portion bifurcated at one end to allow the mounting of a pulley and a cable engaging member in this bifurcated portion, the cable engaging member being forcibly shiftable by a threaded adjustment member.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means for holding a cable taut, and to provide a cable engaging member which may be adjusted to tighten or loosen the cable and to facilitate the disengagement of the cable engaging member from the cable, that is, the dismounting of the cable.

It is another object of this device to provide a means for holding a cable, the cable engaging member whereof may operate in a more or less automatic manner, without the forcible adjustmen-t thereof by the auxiliary means provided according to this invention.

And a last object to be specifically mentioned is to provide a device of this character which is relatively inexpensive and completely practicable to manufacture, simple and convenient to use, and which is sufficiently sturdy to provide.

for generally efficient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in View, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinaiter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims,- reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a material part of thisapplic'ation, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of this invention, shown secured to a hookand a cable, one side of the device being broken away and the underlying; portions shown in section and. in elevation, to facilitate the illustration and to amplify the disclosure of this Th verition;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of this device;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view, in per-'- spective, of the cable engaging member;

Figure 4 is a top plan view-of a modified form of this invention;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 55 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 in Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view, in perspective, of the cable engaging member, used in the said modified form of this invention.

Similar'characters of reference designate similar or identical parts and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that the environment shown in the drawing as illustrative of the equipment wherewith this invention is adapted to be used includes fragmentary portions of fixed members l0 and ,z 12, an eye bolt M and. a hook. IE, together with a cable [8 which may be of wire;- or rope character.

This device includes a body portion 20 which has an extending aperture'd member or eye member 22, at one end thereof and the other end bifurcated to provide two parallel arms 24 and 26 with a slot 28 'ther'ebetwee'n. A pulley 30 is mounted to freely rotate, on an "axis pin "32, this pulley being ordinarily provided'with an arcuate cable engaging base, and the outer edge of the pulley coinciding substantially with the outer ends of the arms 24 and 26.

A cable engaging member 34 is pivotally secured in the inner end 'of'this slot 28"byl-means of the axis pin 36, and this "member 34 is ser rated on one side 40 thereof 'toprovideia suitable surface for gripping the cable 18, the shape and proportionate size of the aboveldescribed elements being such that the cable "t8 can be easily inserted between the pulley and the cable engaging member 34 when the latter is in retracted position, but the cable being prevented irom being withdrawn from the device "when the cable engaging member 34 is rotated about the pivotal-axis pin 36. A spring 38, having on'e'nd inserted'in an aperture provided therefor in the body portion 20, and the other end in frictional engagement with a portion of the cable engaging member, is so positioned relative tothe axis pin 36 that this spring normally urges the serrated face 40 of the cable engaging member '34 into engagement with thejcabie, all as shown clearly in Figure 1. Inbideithat'tH'cabI engaging-member 34 may be reduced in size without materially affecting the strength thereof, the end or the slot 28 is recessed-as-shown- 'at "K2 and the sides of the cable engaging member 34 are 'rec'essed'as at M and 45, so that the "latter may be rotated through a relatively large angle.

In the'modified 'form-o'fthis invention, shown in Figures-4, 5, 6 and '7, thebody=portion"2'0,-eye 22 and arms 24 and "2'6need'not be -a'ltered-a'nd the pu11ey30 may be of the same character as that used "in the above'described'formof this "invention. The cable engaging member 48is modified to be adjustable vertically "and is slidably mounted in the body portion'it, instead of being pivotally-mounted as described above. This modified cable engaging member "'58 is provided with a tongue 50 and grooved'oneither'sidethereof as at 52, and the body portion is tongu'ed and grooved correspondingly. It should be note'd'that the. serrated face 54 ofthi's member is disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axis of'the member so that a weaging action isobtainable to wedge the cable [8 between the pulley 3'11 and the member 48 when this 'me'mber'issl'idinone direction relative to the body "portion 20. in this connection it should also be noted thattheteeth of the serrated face '54 are disti'o'sedlnratchet fashion and are pointedi'n the di'rection'ofjthewider end of the member 48. This feature was incorporated with the pivotally attached member 34 described hereinbefore.

A U-shaped clamp 56 having lugs 58 adapted to hook over the top edges of the body portion 29, as best shown in Figure 4, is provided to facilitate the forcible adjustment of the member 48. As best illustrated in Figure 5, this U-shaped member 56 is applicable to the body member 20, in alignment with the member fi8,=and is provided with a set screw 60 threadably associated therewith and adapted to engage one end of the member 48. It will be obvious that adjustment of the set screw 69 will force the member 48 into the body member 29 nd there are several ways in which this member 59 ma be used. One use for this member is to disengage the cable engaging member 48 and in this case the member 55 is reversed from the position illustrated in Figure 5 so that the set screw 69 can be screwed downwardly from the top thus forcin the member 48 out of engagement with a rope held between the pulley 3d and this member 48. Another use for this member 59 is the application thereof to tighten the cable, this being accomplished in the position shown, it being thought, however, that if the device is to be used extensively in this manner, the teeth 54 should not be pointed obliquely towards one :end ofthe member, so that a better gripping action may be obtained. This last mentioned modification is not shown in the drawing,- since it embodies a mere simplification of the tooth structure. And a third use is that represented in Figure 5, wherein the set screw 69 is turned to force'thewider end of the member 48 into the body portion '29 to more tightly engage a cable between the member 18 and the pulley 39.

The method of operation of this device will be obvious from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof but, in recapitulation, it may be noted that the device may be used either with or without the U-shaped member 58, and it will be now understood that this device is particularly well adapted to retain cables in tautened condition, the detachment or loosening of these cables bein greatly facilitated by the auxiliary member described in detail above.

Though there has been shown a particular embodiment of this invention, and one modified formthereof, this application is not limited to this particular embodiment and modification, but it is desired to include in the scope of this invention the construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A cable clamp comprising a body portion having attaching means and a bifurcated portion at one end thereof, a pulley secured within the outer portion of said bifurcated portion, a cable engaging member transversely slidably mounted within the inner portion of said bifurcated portion, and means on said body portion to forcibly shift said member while the same is in engagement with a cable on said pulley} said means including a U-shaped clamp selectively securable in two positions on said body portion and having lugs to hook over the edges of the body portion in alignment with said member, and a set screw carried by said clamp and adapted to engage selectively, the opposite ends of said member, whereby the member may be shifted in two directions relative to the body.

2. A cable clamp comprising a body portion having attaching means and a bifurcated portion at one end thereof, a pulley secured within the outer portion of said bifurcated portion, a cable engaging member transversely slidably mounted within the inner portion of said bifurcated portion, and means on said body portion to forcibly shift said member while the same is in engagement with a cable on said pulley, said means including a U-shaped clamp selectively securable in two positions on said body portion and having lugs to hook over the edges of the body portion in alignment with said member, and adjustable means carried by said clamp and adapted to engage selectively the opposite ends of said member, whereby the member may be shifted in two directions relative to the body.

3. A cable clamp comprising a body portion having attaching means and a bifurcated portion at one end thereof, a pulley secured within the outer portion of said bifurcated portion, a cable engaging member transversely slidably mounted within the inner portion of said bifurcated portion, and means on said body portion to forcibly shift said member while the same is in engagement with a cable on said pulley, said means including a U-shaped clamp selectively securable in two positions on said body portion and. having lugs to hook over the edges of the body portion in alignment with said member, and a set screw carried by said clamp and adapted to engage selectively the opposite ends of said member, whereby the member may be shifted in two directions relative to the body, said body and member having guide means to direct movement of the member within the body.

4. A cable clamp comprising a body portion having attaching means and a bifurcated portion at one end thereof, a pulley secured within the outer portion of said bifurcated portion, a cable engaging member transversely slidably mounted within the inner portion of said bifurcated portion, and means on said body portion to forcibly shift said member while the same is in engagement with a cable on said pulley, said means including a U-shaped clamp selectively securable in two positions on said body portion and having lugs to hook over the edges of the body portion in alignment with said member, and a set screw.

carried by said clamp and adapted to engage selectively the opposite ends of said member, whereby the member may be shifted in two directions relative to the body, said body and member having guide means to direct movement of the member within the body, said guide means being of rail and channel character.

5. A clamp according to claim 1 and wherein said member has ratchet teeth to engage a cable.

THOMAS A. CROTTY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 475,115 Inglesby May 17, 1892 1,239,061 Tangen Sept. 4, 1917 1,442,396 Goetz Jan. 16, 1923 1,738,215 Thurston et a1 Dec. 3, 1929 1,905,587 Hafer, Sr. et a1 Apr. 25, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 27,205 Australia June 13, 1930 723,992 France Jan. 23, 1932 

